A Bad Lot

Collected Short Stories

by Barbara Kastelin

Twenty-four engrossing tales of human life, each with a twist in the tail.

A collection of bite-sized novellas to enjoy in a busy life of commitments.

Entertaining short fiction with an after-taste of surprise and disquiet.

“During the hour of perusal, the soul of the reader is at the writer’s control” Edgar Allan Poe .

A Bad Lot is a collection of twenty-four short stories. Twenty-four stories each in a different style, set in different times and in different places showing the frailty that humans are capable of.

The Neapolitan thief can almost be forgiven, and the lone woman in the Manor house might have been more perceptive about her suitor. The Cambridge lawyer had no guts; lies have short legs in a Caribbean resort. A crush on a police inspector is a poor excuse for some behaviour, and buying a holiday home in the sunny Algarve may have its downfalls but, for her love of dogs, the woman from Norfolk will have to be rewarded in heaven. Whether giraffes have mythical powers is questionable, while being slave to a Nordic god could confuse any young man. Yes, the world around us is full of surprises.

We have all come across the feelings these characters in A Bad Lot experience. Our senses record the world around us but, in our brains, it is our frail humanity that overlays the information with illusion – our vanity, jealousy, sexuality, insecurity, love, ambition and guilt warp our perception. This anthology of short stories takes us on an entertaining tour of our capacity for self-deception. Lyrical and clever, they tackle the challenges of our demons.

I enjoy this diverse collection of short stories, each exploring different eras, people and life experiences.

by A D

A Bad Lot by Barbara Kastelin assembles very readable and interesting short stories that can be easily digested right before bed or at any other convenient reading time. Recommended for those who want to see a living, breathing example of the short story, still available for appreciation.

by JD DeHart

Barbara Kastelin neatly wrapped together a collection of twenty-four short stories. In general, for each, the narrative was well-written. The storylines varied in depth and scope as much does New England weather. For a change of pace, it was nice to sit down and gobble up a story in twenty minutes, give or take.

If you’re looking to fill your digital plate with a gentle infusion of noir, look no further. They'll be no traces of any happy Disney endings found here. Already, there's plenty of that abound. On a road less traveled, this somewhat, far-reaching, morbid anthology made for an enjoyable, yet, bittersweet read.

by Paul Falk

A Bad Lot is a collection of short stories by Barbara Kastelin. This is really great when you're looking for a quick read during your break or before bed time. However, don't expect happily ever afters. Written about a wide range of topics in very diversified settings, the collection features stories that take a darker turn on humanity. It's truly a unique experience reasing the stories and I highly recommend.

by Jennifer L

I really enjoyed reading it. Stories are well written. It was interesting to read. Cover is amazing too.

by Gokce KAYA

This is the collection you read when you need some diversity in your life, well, in your reading life to be precise! It offers various experiences, you'll feel different emotions for each story and that's intriguing.

by Dora Archie Okeyo

Short stories are not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy them. Normally there will be a couple or three of the stories in a collection like this, that I end up flicking through as they don't grab my attention. However, in this book, I read every single story and enjoyed them all. Some I enjoyed more than others, but each one was able to hold my attention and entertain me.

Some of the first short story collections I read were the ones by Roald Dahl and there were similarities in this collection - deception, greed, jealousy, blind ambition. It was like a trip through the seven deadly sins. Some of the stories were shocking, some horrifying and some made you cheer when the good guy actually came out on top! There is some adult content not suitable for children.

Any short story fan will love this and it is a great introduction to them if you have not previously read a collection. Highly recommended and very much enjoyed by me!

by Natalie - The Spoonie Mummy

Short stories are not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy them. Normally there will be a couple or three of the stories in a collection like this, that I end up flicking through as they don't grab my attention. However, in this book, I read every single story and enjoyed them all. Some I enjoyed more than others, but each one was able to hold my attention and entertain me.

Some of the first short story collections I read were the ones by Roald Dahl and there were similarities in this collection - deception, greed, jealousy, blind ambition. It was like a trip through the seven deadly sins. Some of the stories were shocking, some horrifying and some made you cheer when the good guy actually came out on top! There is some adult content not suitable for children.

Any short story fan will love this and it is a great introduction to them if you have not previously read a collection. Highly recommended and very much enjoyed by me!

by Natalie - The Spoonie Mummy

Short stories are not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy them. Normally there will be a couple or three of the stories in a collection like this, that I end up flicking through as they don't grab my attention. However, in this book, I read every single story and enjoyed them all. Some I enjoyed more than others, but each one was able to hold my attention and entertain me.

Some of the first short story collections I read were the ones by Roald Dahl and there were similarities in this collection - deception, greed, jealousy, blind ambition. It was like a trip through the seven deadly sins. Some of the stories were shocking, some horrifying and some made you cheer when the good guy actually came out on top! There is some adult content not suitable for children.

Any short story fan will love this and it is a great introduction to them if you have not previously read a collection. Highly recommended and very much enjoyed by me!

by Natalie Gardner

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